FARNBOROUGH, UK – GEN3, a leading British manufacturer of specialised test, measurement & production equipment for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce its partnership with Reliability Assessment Solutions Inc. (RAS), a leader in advanced reliability testing solutions. The company partnered with RAS as exclusive Global distributor for the HATS²™ (Highly Accelerated Thermal Shock) Test System. Developed by RAS, HATS²™ is designed for Convection Reflow Assembly Simulation and Thermal Shock/Cycling, offering precise reliability and robustness evaluation of PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and substrate via structures, including plated through-holes (PTHs).

The HATS²™ system is a cutting-edge solution that enables manufacturers to perform rigorous thermal shock testing on PCBs and Substrates, replicating real-world thermal cycling conditions to identify potential weaknesses and ensure the structural integrity of assemblies under high- stress environments. With its unique capabilities, HATS²™ is instrumental in enhancing quality control and durability testing, allowing manufacturers to meet and exceed industry standards.

GEN3, known for their expertise in distributing advanced electronic testing equipment, will now be the primary Global resource for companies interested in HATS²™. This partnership combines RAS’s innovative technology with GEN3’s strong network and commitment to quality, making HATS²™ accessible to manufacturers Worldwide.

“I’m thrilled to share that we’re partnering with Reliability Assessment Solutions Inc & Bob Neves, who we have worked with for many years, to add their innovative HATS²™ equipment to our portfolio of electronics reliability assurance equipment,” said GEN3 CEO Andrew Naisbitt. “This collaboration is a fantastic opportunity for us to enhance our offerings and better serve our customers’ needs. By integrating this technology, we’re not just expanding our portfolio, we’re empowering our clients with even more reliable tools to tackle their challenges. I’m excited about what this means for our future and can’t wait to see the positive impact it will have.”

“I have worked with the GEN3 team for many years and have used their Insulation Test Systems in my other businesses. I am excited to add the HATS²™ Via Structure/PTH Reliability and Robustness Test System to GEN3’s portfolio of products. The addition of the HATS²™ System to the GEN3 offerings adds Interconnection Reliability & Robustness Testing to their impressive array of Solderability, Cleanliness and Insulation System Test Equipment that they furnish the electronics industry, providing local sales, service & supplies to their customers,” said Bob Neves, Chairman RAS Inc.

For more information on the HATS 2 ™ system or to learn how this partnership could support your business’s quality and reliability initiatives, please contact GEN3 directly. 

For more information contact the GEN3 Sales Team at sales@gen3systems.com or visit www.gen3systems.com 

NEUSS, GERMANY – Yamaha Robotics SMT section presented innovations in high-speed surface- mount inspection at electronica 2024, demonstrating the latest AI skills and special features for applications including LED lighting, e-mobility, and mechatronics.

Yamaha’s YRi-V 2D/3D automatic optical inspection (AOI) systems now come with special features that simplify checking the alignment and spacing of components such as LED arrays and position detectors. These help cut the setup time for inspecting densely populated automotive and architectural lighting assemblies, as well as electric drives and mechatronics that contain Hall sensors for brushless motor control.

The YRi-V machines also leverage AI capabilities added to Yamaha’s advanced AOI software, which accelerate programming and increase inspection accuracy to maximise productivity and strengthen quality control. Programming tools enhanced with AI help populate libraries and add missing component data, cutting the time for new product introduction (NPI) on surface-mount assembly lines. The latest AI skills now bring the power of machine learning to secondary judgements made during production, to provide an automated AOI expert for every assembly line.

Standard YRi-V systems have a 12Mpixel camera sensor and offer 12µm, 7µm, and 5µm resolution options. At electronica, visitors got to assess the latest YRi-V HS with its 25Mpixel sensor that cuts cycle time by more than 50% at high resolution. The option targets densely populated assemblies such as server cards and communication infrastructure, as well as highly miniaturised products like IoT sensors. The YRi-V HS also adds laser measurement for accurate coplanarity checks on components such as LEDs and chip-scale packages, which have reflective surfaces that make inspection difficult using conventional lighting.

The Yamaha booth also featured the new VP-01G-Y solder-paste inspection system that checks the volume, shape, and positional accuracy of screen-printed deposits before boards enter the mounter for component placement. The VP-01G- Y operates at the line speed and helps automatically optimise print process settings, stencil cleaning, and paste condition.

“Exhibiting at electronica enabled us to meet new potential customers and demonstrate our fast and accurate inspection systems to a wider audience including test engineers and product designers,” said Shuichi Imai, Sales General Manager for Europe at Yamaha Robotics. “Our latest innovations provide state of the art quality control that can be easily programmed and operates at the line speed to maximise productivity.”

Yamaha has a comprehensive portfolio of high-speed inline surface-mount equipment that also includes screen printers and mounters, collectively known as the 1 STOP SMART SOLUTION. With highly automated features including product-program changeover and printer stencil change, the machines all work together to handle high-mix manufacturing that demand flexibility, as well as high- volume work that calls for sustained high placement speed and high accuracy.

In addition, YSUP smart-factory software connects all Yamaha machines in the line and provides graphical tools for programming, optimising, and monitoring equipment status and production performance. The software also includes YSUP- LINK, which connects equipment on the factory floor with enterprise systems to enable intelligent manufacturing.

SAN JOSE – Zero Defects International [ZDI] has announced their participation as an exhibitor at the Silicon Valley Expo and Tech Forum. It will be held at the Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley. The date of this event is Thursday, December 5th. The address of the Marriott is 46100 Landing Parkway, Fremont, CA. ZDI's presence represents a continuation of the company's participation in the Silicon Valley Expo as well as many other SMTA Expo venues across the Western US.

Among the PCBA test and inspection products to be featured will be Viscom's AOI, X-Ray and SPI inspection equipment. The Viscom display will include updates on the very latest enhancements for each of these products. Additional ZDI partners include Europlacer, Tagarno and Epoch International. Also, ZDI will have information on their flying-probe test services as well as reverse engineering and failure analysis services. Those in attendance will include Michaela Brody, President and Paul Benke, CEO.

Founded more than 20 years ago as a PCB test and fixturing company, ZDI has since evolved into a full spectrum test and inspection equipment company with focus on the PCBA industry. It works with top tier partners in offering virtually all facets of PCBA test and inspection equipment and has established a repution for it's customer orientation as well competent and rapid responsive technical support in Northern California and beyond.

AUSTIN, TX – In its latest Advanced Packaging Update, TechSearch International provides an update on developments in hybrid bonding including applications, technical challenges, and proposed solutions. The report focuses on hybrid bonding for high-performance applications.

TechSearch International examines the growth in advanced packaging for high-performance computing (HPC) and analyzes assembly revenue. AI inferencing and training hardware, including high bandwidth memory (HBM), accounts for the majority of the assembly value. The HPC advanced packaging assembly market is defined as assembly of AI training and inferencing, server, and high-end network switch packages. Assembly revenue for HBM is included. OSAT financials are also highlighted in the report.

A special section of the report analyzes the fan-out panel market by dividing it into standard-density and high-density panels. Applications are presented and market forecasts are provided for both. Company activities are highlighted.

The report includes a section on RF front-end packaging developments in mobile devices with highlights from our teardowns.

The latest Advanced Packaging Update is a 67-page report with full references and an accompanying set of 77 PowerPoint slides.

TechSearch International, Inc., founded in 1987, is a market research leader specializing in technology trends in microelectronics packaging and assembly. Multi- and single-client services encompass technology licensing, strategic planning, and market and technology analysis. TechSearch International professionals have an extensive network of more than 22,000 contacts in North America, Asia, and Europe. For more information, contact TechSearch International at tel: 512-372-8887 or see www.techsearchinc.com